In the Shadow of the Moon
by Murabayshi Harukaze
Summary: This is a history for an online RPG I used to play in. The main characters are all original, but it is based in the Sailor Moon universe. My friend Anne helped me write some of it as did speaking to the other players about their characters. Xavier was


**In the Shadow of the Moon**

**_Finally, I can be rid of her interrogating gaze, _he thought as he walked through the marble corridors of the Moon Palace. His footsteps were soft on the red, velvet carpeting. His eyes glanced upward to the rafters at angels cast in gold and he held his head high, walking with perfect posture just as he had been taught from birth. **

**He approached a large set of double doors etched with angels of gilded wings and gently rapped upon its cold, smooth surface. Moments later, a lady with short, neatly styled silver hair answered. "Ah, Xavier. Please come in…" She opened the door wider to grant him passage, her lavender eyes sparkled against her porcelain skin and she had just the slightest tint of rose to her lips. Xavier bowed and entered gracefully into the room. **

"**Mother, I wish to speak to you for just a moment." It was about then that he noticed his aunt at the window seat with her traditional odangos. He had, up until know, been wearing a slight smile. Now, he carefully adjusted his expression to sheer expressionless, however, he could feel her eyes staring him down already. **

**_Just my luck, she has to be here at this very moment._ He stood strait, with his heels together, hands clasped behind his back. His long silver bangs framed his round face, one that, if smiling, would likely display an innocence similar to the Princess. But he would never wear his hair in odangos like hers; it would be improper. **

**"As you know, I have completed my training. I have learned all that has been required of me to study. Everything from proper etiquette to interplanetary politics. I have remained on this… satellite… for the whole of my life. If you do not have any other requirements of me that I seem to have forgotten about, I would like to pose a request."**

**He resisted the urge to glance at the Queen, whose eyes could still be felt. It caused the hair on his neck to grow stiff on end, and headed towards an emotion that neither fear nor anger could claim, but moreover, a creepy confusion capable of causing a person to spin around and yell at someone. However, just as he'd been trained, he held back his emotion and kept it far from view. **

**Lady Selene looked in puzzlement at her son. He had never been so forward before and never asked anything for himself. She wondered what occupied his mind, if he were upset. _ I suppose it is possible; it's become increasingly difficult over the past few years to read him._ She nodded in an encouraging manner. **

**"I request to see these many planets I have been learning about," Xavier said seriously. "All the books I have read add to the intrigue. I would like permission to spend some time learning by experience, not just books. You have had me trained to rule this kingdom in the stead of the Princess, should something ever happen to her. I would hate for my knowledge to be wasted. If it suits you, I could take some diplomatic missions, or any other errands I may be suited for. I doubt that I shall ever actually rule this kingdom, however I do not want to be kept here without a purpose. I have accepted the responsibility for my station and have filled all requirements of such. I now have my first chance to live my life, and I would like to start."**

**Lady Selene's puzzlement grew to shock. She turned to her sister still seated at the window who nodded in response.**

"**Xavier," She paused, gathering her thoughts. He had never voiced any hint of displeasure towards anything they had asked of him. "I will consider it. If I may, give me some time to talk to Serenity." The boy nodded with his impatient, sparkling, silver eyes. "Then I will take my leave. Shall I return later?" After a few moments, Selene responded attempting a friendly smile before he quietly left the room. "That's all right; I shall inform you of our decision." **

**Xavier headed back down the white, marble corridor. After a few twists and turns, a few flights of wide stairs, and down rarely used hallways, he was back in his bedroom, safe from that woman. **

**He sat in a black velvet chair and picked up his most recent finding from the library: The Tale of Genji. He opened the tarnished pages, but found himself unable to concentrate on the words. He let the book lay open on his lap while he glanced around the room he spent more time in than any other. It possessed the same white marble walls and floors as almost every other room. It even had the high ceiling. The candelabras strewn about were highly polished silver set with white candles. The black velvet drapes across the large windows were closed except one and all the furniture was made of ebony wood, with silver hinges and latches. **

**He rose and walked over to the nearest candelabra placed upon the fireplace of obsidian. He lightly blew across the candles. They slowly blossomed into flame. Picking up the candelabra, he walked to the open pair of drapes, pulled them closed, then regained his seat in his chair before placing the candelabra upon the small table next to him. **

_**I'm not sure why she has always hated me. I keep to myself. I take my studies seriously--much more seriously than Princess Serenity does. It doesn't make sense. I have done everything I could to be a perfect prince. I realize that my life isn't mine. It belongs to the people I am expected to represent. I exist to protect those who support the kingdom of the Moon, and I have done nothing but exactly what I have been expected to do. For the last eighteen years… What I have done… to make her dislike me so…**_

**A slight ring, like that of wind chimes, filled the bridge of the starship Orion. Xavier moved his right hand across the control sphere under his palm. The main screen came alive displaying ship statistics on the screen of blue crystal. He had been stuck halfway between Mars and Jupiter for a week, thanks to a moderately sized meteorite, somehow missed by ship sensors, which managed to imbed itself in one of the hyperspace engines. The repair androids have been making a moderate amount of progress, but it might still be a little while before he could continue on his way.**

**In one corner of the screen, the mail icon was highlighted. He tapped lightly on the control sphere, and found that Lady Selene had sent him his first letter since he had left the moon. Briefly, he remembered the scene of his departure; his mother, Lady Selene, Princess Serenity, Prince Darien, and the rest of the princess's court were there. There was no sign of the Queen. **

**He sighed and opened the letter. **

**"Dear Xavier,**

**How have you been? I've missed our Sunday chess matches; perhaps we **

**we could start a long distance game? Princess Mercury was asking about**

**you; apparently she wanted to ask you about the nature of illusion magic.**

**She was right; you would be just the person to ask. Perhaps you should **

**send her a letter. **

**Recently, Queen Serenity has been making more alliances with the few **

**small, independent nations that still exist on some of the planets. Mostly,**

**she has had much success, but a few are still resisting her rule. I'm so happy**

**for her; she soon will achieve her dream of uniting the entire solar system **

**in peace. If we run into any major problems, you very well may **

**end up with a diplomatic mission. Other than that, everything is pretty**

**much the same around here. **

**I do hope you are doing well and that my ship isn't giving you any**

**headaches. She can be stubborn at times. I suppose I shouldn't worry; you **

**are the most resourceful person I know. If anyone could fix that stubborn **

**old bat, it would be you. **

**Well, I suppose I should go. I will write you again soon. I hope to hear of all**

**your adventures during your travels!**

** Mom**

**Xavier sat and looked at the royal seal on the corner of the letter, a crescent moon curved around the silver imperium crystal. His eyes fell to his signet ring **

**which bore the same symbol, marking him as a royal.**

**"Your Majesty, the meteorite has been dislodged from the hyperspace engines. During the process, a strange crystal was found."**

**"Thank you, Orion." Xavier replied. "What have you done with the crystal?" **

**"I have transported it to containment three." **

**"Very much appreciated." With that, he headed to containment. In a small cylinder, a crystal an inch long, dark blue with eight perfect sides. Clearly it had been cut and polished; no crystal he knew of grew so perfectly like that. Looking at a nearby screen, he checked the readings Orion had taken. According to Orion, it held a large amount of energy. **

**He removed it from the cylinder, dropping it into his hand. A strange flash of blue lighting streaked across its surface and Xavier closed his fingers around the treasure. For just a moment, his heart seemed to stop entirely as the crystal linked itself to him. Within a moment, opened his hand finding the crystal now had a silver chain.**

**He let the necklace fall softly against his chest, as he fastened it around his neck. Somehow, he knew if anything happened to his treasure, something horrible would happen. His life now depended on this fragile trinket and he intended to keep it safe. **

**Fragile, porcelain fingers perfectly manicured and polished silver, moved deftly across a control sphere. "This is the Jupiter Space Port number fifty-one. Please identify yourself so we may schedule a landing site for you."**

**"This is the starship Orion. ID 421867."**

**"Starship Orion confirmed. Your Majesty, welcome to Jupiter. You are scheduled to land on the northeast runway."**

"Confirmed. Thank you." The shuttle cornered, and headed back toward the port using its wing flaps to slow for landing. Fortunately, the main shuttle hadn't been damaged in the collision. Xavier was pleased not to have had to land the ship himself. Now that would have been a real pain.

**After docking the shuttle, Xavier stepped out of the side hatch. A longhaired man dressed in crimson, a uniform with gold buttons, edgings, and epaulets, waited for him. He bowed. "Prince Xavier, please allow me to introduce myself. I am Renyald, Lord Aaron's advisor. I have been sent to extend to you an invitation to a ball he is holding tomorrow night. There is to be a contest of the sword which you are welcome to join if you wish. I believe a young nobleman from Princess Jupiter's court is a heavy favorite…"**

**Xavier gracefully bowed in return. "It would be an honor to attend the ball, but I'm afraid I will have to decline the contest." Reynald motioned in the direction of the exit and the pair began walking. "I was silly enough to leave my rapiers on the main ship." **

**"I see. Then at least allow us to provide you with a place to stay for your visit." They headed toward a horse-drawn carriage. **

**"That would be very much appreciated." **

**After a short while, Xavier smiled at his guide as he opened the carriage door for him. After he had entered, Reynald seated himself across from the silver prince.**

**"Pardon me for prying, but you said rapiers?" The man managed a slightly puzzled face as he wondered about the plural on that word. He knew the common fighting styles for used one sword coupled with a parrying dagger, small shield, cloak, or just by itself.**

**"Yes. My proficiency is with a special set of swords that were given to me by my mother. They were specially made to be light enough for me to be able to handle together." Xavier blushed slightly. He hated talking about himself. Self-important was the last thing he wanted to be thought of.**

**"How very unique. I'm sure you would have gone far in that contest." Renyald commented.**

**"No matter how far my skill reaches, I'm sure that there are plenty of people out there who are better than I am." Xavier's cheeks tinted more with his words and turned his head to the window to conceal it. His bangs fell over his face.**

"**I was suppose to meet a delegate from Atlantis, Neptune when I reached here. Do you happen to know the name Sierra?"**

**Renyald looked thoughtful for a moment. "That name does not sound familiar to me. However, I can ask Lord Aaron on your behalf if you wish."**

**"I would prefer to ask myself if I may. Do you suppose you could arrange an appointment for me?" Xavier, hating to loose control of just about anything, carefully tailored his tone of voice to be stern.**

**"Lord Aaron wished me to be sure that you were invited to dinner with him and his daughter."**

**"That shall suffice." With a curt nod, prince ended the conversation.**

**Xavier continued looking out the window. The countryside was thick with grass, wildflowers, butterflies, and sunshine. He listened to the sound of the birds chirping in the trees, and the hooves of the horses along the dirt road. A castle was in the distance; a huge gray monolith atop a hill. He could barely make out the crimson banners that had been hung down over the outer walls decorating the upcoming ball. As the carriage approached the gates, the tower horns announced his arrival. **

**The carriage came to a halt and the door was opened for him by a boy who hide himself behind it. Xavier gracefully stepped down from the coach and scanned his surrounding. They were in the main courtyard before the palace. More banners were strewn about, all in crimson and gold with Lord Aaron's seal on them. The great double doors to the palace were a dark wood, etched with knot-work and set in an incredibly huge archeway. The tall towers of the castle seemed to reach for miles into the sky, and he watched for a moment as a guard marched across the top of the main wall. There were many servants there ready to wait on this newly arrived guest and each one in their finest.**

**Xavier turned sharply toward the sound of approaching hoofs, his long silver hair catching the slight breeze and billowing out behind him. He caught sight of an arriving carriage, which slowed as it approached the castle. The same uniformed servants as the ones who drove his coach steered it to its parking place. _This must be someone important; I wonder the cause for haste._ He patiently clasped his hands behind his back as his hair fell once again around his ankles. **

**The carriage came to a halt and a servant opened the door. A young lady stepped out with long, bright green hair, sparkling pink eyes, and lightly tanned skin. She was tall, with pretty freckles that dotted her cheeks, and a pair of glasses settled lightly upon her nose. She wore an archer's outfit, consisting of a shirt with baggy sleeves bound with brown leather bracers, a dark green shirt falling mid-thigh belted at the waist, and a black leather belt fastened with a knot around the ring at one end where a few pouches hung with a pair of gloves. She also wore tight, black pants and a pair of heavy, brown, leather boots that came up to her knees. Her wavy hair was tied up into a ponytail with a dark green sash, and she carried a quiver of arrows and a hunters bow. On her left hand, Xavier noticed a signet ring; the design matched the one on the banners hung all around the castle.**

**"Pardon me for just a moment please, Lord Xavier." Xavier nodded as Reynald bowed and hurriedly walked over to the young lady. "Lady Botanica, you know that you were supposed to be in classes today. Where did you run off to?" Reynald looked troubled and obviously has happened before.**

**The girl looked a bit irritated, and scowled slightly at Reynald. "I was practicing my archery--what else does it look like?"**

The older man sighed. Xavier could have sworn he just noticed a gray hair or two interlaced with his brilliant red. "I happen to know that you could do that anytime. I'll bet you were off with that commoner boy, weren't you? You know your father does not want you associating with him." The girl's scowl grew a bit deeper

"My lady, you know I do not particularly dislike this boy of yours, but it is not proper. If you are caught with him too many times, it is not you who is going to pay the price. You know this, do you not?" His voice became softer as he spoke, to the point that Xavier could no longer hear him.

**A few minutes later, Reynald motioned for her to head off in some direction and she swiftly walked toward the castle. Reynald slowly turned and walked back toward the silver prince, with his head hung. _So I was right; he does have a few extra gray hairs._**

**"I am very sorry, your Highness, but I could not present you to the Lady with her in such disarray. She will be at dinner, and a bit more presentable."**

**"Quite alright," Xavier said with a slight smile. "She seems like a charming girl."**

"A bit headstrong, but sharp as a pike. I will not bother you with details like this; please allow me to show you to a room." Reynald said with a bow.

Xavier stepped out of the shower, dripping wet. He grabbed a towel and started drying his hair, and then grabbed a second one for the rest of him. He pulled on a pair of boxer shorts, and looked in the mirror. With a wave of his hands, a whirlwind of warm air whipped around him. In a matter of minutes, what was four feet and eleven inches of wet hair was now a four foot and eleven inch radius afro. He sighed looking at the rather hideous mess in the mirror. _I can see it. It's going to be one of those nights._ He grabbed a brush and began the long process of taming the tangles.

An hour later, after finally wresting his hair into submission, it ended up in a long braid that was looped twice down his back and then tied with a crimson bow. He pulled on a pair of tight black pants and a black shirt with very loose sleeves. He pulled a vest on over it, red with two rows of silver buttons on either side. Between them was a silver crescent moon embroidered on the velvet. He double checked himself in the mirror and his mind wandered back to once when he did try wearing something that was supposed to be more masculine. The shoulders had been too wide, the pants too long and loose in the waist. He had looked like a young girl who had raided her daddy's closet. He smiled at the result he found in his reflection and then hopped onto the bed with royal blue velvet spread with matching pillows, to wait for the escort to dinner.

He glanced around the room. It had a dark wood floor and gray stone walls. The hung tapestries showed scenes from well known local legends in brilliant color. The furniture was all in that same dark wood and all ornately carved with knot-work. The mirror had a simple style gold frame and was at least a head taller than he. The ceiling was not too high, with a gold chandelier hanging from the center.

The knock at the door caught his attention and within moments he stood turning the know and pulling the odor open. A young servant girl was there. She had short blonde hair that came down over her eyes, and was about a foot taller than he was. She politely bowed. "Your Majesty, I have come to escort you to dinner," her voice soft and timid

"Thank you," Xavier said with a slight, but friendly smile. "Shall we?" The girl nodded and began walking down the hall. There were tapestries hanging everywhere, most of them like the ones in his room, the rest of gardens and flowers. His footsteps were softly heard against the red velvet rugs. The halls looked mostly the same, with the gray stone walls, tapestries, ornately carved doors, and arched entryways. The place seemed almost mazelike to the silver prince, who doubted he would be able to find his way back to his room on his own.

Finally, the servant approached a huge set of doors. She opened one of them, with a bit of trouble, and motioned for him to proceed. The dining room was huge. A high vaulted ceiling, with multiple gilded chandeliers. A long-table graced the center of the room, before a huge fireplace. There were many candelabras placed along the table, which had been set for four. Lord Aaron had truly outdone himself; the feast before him, he swore could have served one hundred people. Lord Aaron stood at the end of the table, his daughter next to him. Reynald walked toward Xavier, and bowed.

"Welcome, your Highness, to our table. Please, allow me." Reynald motioned for Xavier to precede him. He approached the Lord and his daughter and both bowed. Xavier nodded respectfully to them and Reynald pulled out a chair for both of them. The four sat down together. Lord Aaron had strait, shoulder length hair that matched the shade of leaves. He wore a gold circlet, and had a short beard. He had a friendly face and seemed like one of those people who smiled a lot. He wore a red, long sleeved uniform. The top was longer, belted at the waist. All the borders were done in gold, with epaulets on the shoulders. It was very similar to the uniform that Reynald wore, but a bit more fancy.

The younger girl was a bit stone faced. She let her bangs fall over her eyes and tilted her chin down just a bit. She wore an off-white dress, sleeveless, all edges done in hand woven lace. She shifted just as bit and Xavier could hear the rustling sound of her skirts.

"Welcome, Prince Xavier. It is quite an honor to have you with us. Please, tell me, do you plan to join our tournament?" At that Xavier heard the girl take in a short breath, and noticed Lord Aaron's eyes flick her direction.

"I regret to say, I do not think I can. I had heard nothing of it until I landed, and I left my rapier on my ship." This time, he was careful not to draw attention to himselfby revealing his unusual skill.

"Well, if that is the only problem, I'm very sure that I can find a replacement for you..." Lord Aaron said. The girl's nervousness did not seem to lessen as her father began to insist.

"I'm very sorry, call it superstition or just a youths folly, but, I can not compete without my sword. It was given to my by my mother."

"Ah, I see." Said the Lord, looking a bit defeated. The girl seemed to have relaxed a bit as well. Around them, some of the servants were putting food onto plates and pouring goblets of wine. Xavier could pick out many of the different smells, even though some seemed to blend together. There was turkey, tubers, salad, many kinds of bread, fruit, fish, pork, and many other dishes that he had never seen before. After a few moments, all four had a plate of food set before them.

"To what do we toast?" Xavier asked, being as how the silence seemed to have become very heavy all of a sudden.

"The ball tomorrow night is to celebrate Lady Botanica's sixteenth birthday." Reynald said, by way of suggestion.

"Than to Lady Botanica it is. Shall she have a wonderful birthday." Xavier said. Lord Aaron smiled and nodded sincerely. The four raised their goblets to the toast and each took a sip. Xavier found the red wine quite a bit sour. He never did drink much; he could never hold alcohol well. He resisted, making a face, and took a bite of his food.

As the four ate, Xavier kept a discreet eye on the Lady. He knew that there was something bothering her. He supposed it had something to do with what Reynald had said to her earlier. He thought of something to say that might start a conversation, but in his slight nervousness, nothing he could think of sounded suitable.

After the four had eaten, silently, Xavier decided that he had better get to business. "Lord Aaron, I was supposed to meet a delegate from Atlantis of Neptune here. I believe the name is Sierra. Do you know this person?"

"Ah, yes. I was told he was here for the ball and contest. I will be sure to arrange a meeting for the two of you." Lord Aaron smiled.

"Very much appreciated, Lord Aaron. My aunt is arranging a treaty with Atlantis; I'm supposed to speak to Sierra and he was to escort me to Atlantis." Xavier said, in a serious voice.

"I see. Well, I think it would be a bit late tonight to get the two of you together, and the contest starts tomorrow morning at ten. It will continue throughout the day, with the ball in the evening. I believe that Sierra is planning on taking part in the contest." Lord Aaron sat for a moment, thinking. "He should be at the ball, would that suit you?"

"It would. Since he is supposed to travel with me, there really is no rush to discussing politics and such. We'll have plenty of time en-route." Xavier said. The expression on his face, and tone of voice seemed a little irritated even though that wasn't the case at all. He was taught that the best way to make sure he is given the respect he is due for his station, is to keeping people in line, and the best way to do so, is to keeping them on edge.

Lord Aaron shifted slightly in his seat, not quite sure weather the prince was pleased or not. "Do your quarters suit you? If there is ever anything you should need, the servents will tend to you."

"The rooms are very nice indeed. I particularly like the tapestries. They are very unique." Lord Aaron smiled, glad that he had done at least one thing right that night.

Xavier yawned, and covered his mouth with the back of his hand. "Pardon me," he said. "Traveling so long has thrown my sleep schedule off a bit."

"That's quite all right. If you wish, I can send my daughter to escort you back to your quarters." Lord Aaron looked a bit tired himself.

"If it isn't any trouble, I would appreciate it very much. This place is a bit confusing and I'm not convinced that I could find my way back on my own." Lord Aaron nodded, and his daughter rose from her seat at the table, as did the other three. She walked around the table and paused to regard the shorter, young man.

"This way, please." She said.

They made their way down the first hall in perfect silence.

"Pardon me, lady, but I do not think we have been properly introduced." Xavier said, wearing one of his rare, cute and friendly smiles. He had inadvertently raised his voice half an octave higher than he usually speaks, and when Lady Botanica saw the smile he wore, she almost thought she was looking at a child. The person she was now faced with seemed completely different from the prince she had been walking with for the past few minutes. "I am Prince Xavier of the royal family of the Moon. My mother is Lady Selene. And you are?" He bowed. His eyes portrayed an almost childish innocence. She couldn't quite tell if the serious person she saw earlier was the mask or if this was.

"I'm Lady Botanica Greensfield, a member of Princess Jupiter's court." She bowed in the same way that the prince had.

"I'm very glad to meet you." Xavier said as he motioned for them to continue walking. "I couldn't help but notice that you seemed to be upset about something during dinner. I don't mean to intrude, but if there's anything I can do then feel free to ask, alright?" He was still wearing the same childish smile. It was rare times like this one that one could really see the similarities to Xavier and his younger cousin.

Botanica found his smile a bit reassuring, and felt a bit more at ease around him. "I was upset, but I don't think I should trouble you with my petty worries. I do appreciate your concern though. There aren't many who bother to ask."

"I know what you mean." And he was serious again, but without the edge. "Will you be watching the tournament tomorrow, too?" He asked as they arrived at his door.

"Yes. You're welcome to join me in the box seat if you wish." The lady said. The look in her eyes showed that she regarded him more as an equal, rather than a prince. Xavier wasn't offended by this, but found it a bit more intriguing than anything else about this girl. Most people worry about how they come off to him, since he was always regarded as a prince. The representative of the Queen and not someone you want to offend.

"I would like that. Short people like me always end up right behind the tallest man in the crowd. This will be a huge improvement." The girl chuckled slightly and nodded.

"Then, I'll come find you tomorrow morning so that we aren't late."

"Fair enough. I'll see you then." Xavier bowed and then opened the door to his room.

"Goodnight." Botanica said, and waved at him.

"Goodnight." He said with a smile, and waved as he closed the door.

The contest was fantastic. All styles of sword fighting were to be seen and all the contestants in their nicest garb. Some of the fighters used katanas while others used broadswords with shields. Some held scimitars accompanied by daggers. And some of them Xavier couldn't even quite figure out what to call. It seemed as if the whole world was there, save his little cousin. The air was clear, the sun was warm. A nice breeze kept it from being too hot, and you could constantly hear the rustle of the leaves in the trees and the birds in the air. Botanica seemed to be the only dreary cloud in the sky.

Since there would be a few different duels happening at once, he usually chose to watch the swashbucklers, and fencers, since that was more like the style that he used. He could tell by watching what the rules must be. Pull your blows, and try not to hurt each-other to the best of your ability, since this is a display of skill not the size of your... sword. The field was sectioned off into four courts; each with a referee to make sure there was no cheating. Xavier watched as one man was disqualified for not pulling his blows. His opponent came away with a slashed arm. Fortunately for him, it was on his free arm, so they stitched and bandaged it. He was back in the contest half an hour later.

"Look there," Lady Botanica said from her seat next to Xavier. He had ended up using a stool since he wouldn't have been able to see over the banister of the raised box seat otherwise. "That's Alexander; he's also part of Jupiter's court." Xavier had noticed that man earlier, using a slashing rapier. He seemed to have a lot of fans. Every time he scored a point, the crowed cheered. Of course, most of the cheering voices were the high-pitched screams of girls. He was a typical prince charming; short blonde hair, blue eyes. He was tall, with lots of muscles and tanned skin and wore a doublet of dark green and purple, with black leather boots. "My father, and just about everyone else, wants him to win." She said with the hint of disgust.

"You don't like him, I take it."

"He's a lecher, and he's trying to convince my father to give me to him. The problem is that he's a higher-ranking noble than my father is, so it seems very appealing to him. It would raise my family status, but I don't like him at all." She sneered at the man on the field, just as he seemed to notice her. He blew her a kiss and then turned to begin his next duel. Botanica turned her head in irritation.

"I see. Well, I'm sure you're father will do what is best." Xavier said, and he heard his escort sigh. She sounded defeated.

As was expected, Alexander came out on top. Lady Botanica didn't hesitate at all to show her displeasure and meeting Lord Alexander in person definitely could have been a lot more pleasant. He was what she said, and Xavier wished that he would do something more blunt rather than send innuendoes toward Lady Botanica. If he did, he would have a solid reason to send this horrible man to the jails. Xavier did his best to defend the Lady, since no noblewoman should be treated the way he treated her, and he quickly made an excuse for both of them to leave Alexander's company.

The winner of the contest had been announced at dusk, and people had little time to get freshened up for the ball that night. Xavier parted company with Lady Botanica and found his way back to his room. He tied up his hair and jumped into the tub for a quick bath, then was out again. He let his hair fall back down and threw on some random outfit. He didn't worry what since he was going to use his royal form this evening anyhow.

"Goddess of the Moon, lend me your power. Grant me my true form. Moon Power, Makeup!" Silver streamers appeared at his feet, wrapping around his legs, body, arms, and then billowing out behind him. His hair was lifted upward, and a silver crescent moon appeared on his forehead. It flashed with a bright white light, and the streamers solidified. He was wearing black slacks with shiny dress shoes. The black top had long sleeves with silver edging, the front had two points on the lower hem like a vest might, and a gathered ruffle in the back that made it fit his slender body perfectly. The bottom hem of the jacket sported a silver trim and a silver ribbon that cris-crossed over the front making a wide lacing. It had a mandarin collar trimmed in silver. There was a double layered cape that attached at the shoulder, with a jagged hem. The under-layer of the cape reached the floor, the over-layer reached to his mid-back. The crescent moon on his forehead sparkled at him in the mirror.

He smiled at his reflection and ran a hand through his hair. _I've missed this; I haven't used this form since I left home._ A knock at his door once again interrupted his thoughts. He waited a moment, just for effect, then opened it. It was that same servant girl again. "Your Majesty," she bowed as she spoke. "Would you like me escort you to the ballroom?"

"That's all right, I think I've found my way around here. Thank you very much though." He gave the girl a slight smile, then headed off toward the ballroom.

The halls were filled with guards, dressed in matching white uniforms. Every sconce in the castle was lit, as was every candle. He had timed himself to be fashionably late, which would have been expected. He walked up the wide, crimson carpeted steps to the ballroom, and the guard there opened the door for him.

The room was huge. The red crimson carpet had an open square in the center for dancing, revealing the gray stone beneath. The high vaulted ceiling held one tremendously huge chandelier from the center, and there were sconces every few feet on the walls. Between them, crimson and gold banners with Lord Aaron's seal on it, an intricate knot made of ivy, hung decoratively. An amassed amount of guests were there already, and he heard his voice being announced. "Prince Xavier, of the Moon Kingdom."

Xavier saw Lord Aaron talking to a few other reasonably important looking people, including Alexander. He noticed lady Botanica on the other side of the room, visiting with some other ladies. He walked toward Lord Aaron, and bowed. After rising, his eyes flicked around him, noticing that he had caught a lot of people's attention.

"Prince Xavier, please allow me to introduce you to Sierra." Lord Aaron motioned to a young man standing next to him. Sierra bowed. He had aqua green, shoulder length, wavy hair, and medium blue eyes. He was tall, and well built wearing flowing robes with intricate designs of blue and sea green. Xavier thought that it reminded him of how coral might look.

"It's very good to meet you, Sierra." Xavier said with a respectful nod and a smile.

A few moments later, the small ensemble in one corner of the room struck a fast dance tune.

"Pardon me please, Lord Aaron, Prince, I hear the dance floor calling me." Said Lord Alexander with a twinkle of excitement and mischief in his eyes. Xavier watched him for just a moment as he walked over to lady Botanica, bowed, then led her out to the dance floor.

"What an exceptional young man," Lord Aaron was saying. "I am very glad that of the many people who attended my tournament, that he won. I had a feeling. Don't they look perfect together?" Xavier's eyes narrowed as he recalled the not so pleasant meeting he had earlier with the young nobleman. His right eyebrow twhiched just slightly.

"Who am I to question your judgement, my Lord. After all, you are far more experienced than I in the ways of love, I'm sure." Xavier said, with a slight sharpness to match the look in his eyes as he kept his gaze on the dancing pair.

Just after the song ended, Xavier's ears caught the slight sound of steel against steel in the direction of the main doors to the ballroom. Brushing a lock of his long bangs out of his face with his left hand, he turned to its direction. A few confused guests were moving away from the opening door.

A man in all black, with a mask over the entirety of his face, eyes of gold flecked with red, entered. He held a Katana in one hand and stood a moment scanning the ballroom.

Around him, other guests were clearing as far away they could. Some of the ladies let out frightened yelps.

The man's gaze settled upon Lord Alexander, who still had Botanica in his arms as if they might have still been dancing. Lord Alexander, seeing his chance to impress the man who he expected to soon be his father in law, took the initiative.

"How dare you charge in here like that, frightening all the. Remove yourself from this palace at once or I, Lord Alexander, shall remove." He walked toward this strange man in black, his right hand on the hilt of his rapier.

"So, you are Lord Alexander. I demand a duel with you, for the prize of the tournament." The stranger said, pointing his Katana at Lord Alexander's left nostril.

"You may have your duel, however the tournament is over and I won." Said Lord Alexander with a haughty chuckle.

"You're afraid that I will defeat you, that is why you will not gamble with me." Said the stranger, adding a confidant laugh to the end.

"Never would I fear riff-raff like you." Alexander said, his eyes narrowed and he bore the stranger a scowl. "To defend my honor and that of my Lady Botanica, I shall defeat you!" And with that, he drew his sword in a perfect arc. If the stranger weren't so quick, it would have cut his cheek.

"She will never be your Lady!" He said with a return slash at Alexander. Alexander's blade intercepted at an awkward angle, and the stranger's Katana scraped it all the way down to the tip creating a shower of sparks.

The rapier came back up again; the stranger spun around, and out of the way of a second rapier slash. "You'll have to do better than that!" Said the stranger in a controlled voice. He swung his Katana, intending to cut the man from left hip to right shoulder, but he danced just out of reach. The rapier jabbed toward the man in black, only to be redirected toward empty air by the downward stroke of the Katana.

Alexander, noticing a fault in the strangers guard, brought his sword inward toward his opponents left hip. The stranger angled the tip of his Katana downward and intercepted the blade. Alexander's body was stretched out, with the intention of keeping most of himself out of reach of his opponent's weapon. What he didn't count on was his opponent's much longer and powerful legs. One of them, forming a perfect roundhouse kick, nailed him right in the stomach, stunning him and causing him to stumble back a few feet and falling to his knees. The stranger leapt into the air, his sword over his head. Alexander had barely recovered by the time he realized that if he didn't do something quick that his head would be two pieces, not one. He ducked and rolled to his right, hearing the almost tuning-fork ring of the Katana's strike against the stone where he had been sitting.

Both men straitened and paused for a moment. In perfect time, they both raised their swords so that the tips pointed at their opponent and began to close the ample distance between them. Just a second later, there was the sound of steel against steel and then the clanking of one sword hitting the ground.

The stranger's Katana was at the neck of Lord Alexander, and Alexander's rapier was laying on the ground five feet away. The man in black whispered something into the defeated Alexander's ear, then pulled his blade away and began walking in the direction where Lady Botanica stood.

Alexander was clumsy, and not quiet enough. He pulled a hidden knife from his left boot and charged at the stranger, intending to sink the steel into his back. The man swung around, and stepped back; the sound of tearing fabric could be heard.

"This duel is over, I do not want to kill you." Said the stranger, in a stern tone of voice.

"Defend yourself or be killed!" Alexander yelled in fury. His face twisted into something almost demonic.

Alexander leapt toward the stranger, slashing with incredible speed. The man in black was able to dance just out of reach, but he seemed just a bit slower than he had been before. One more time, Alexander slashed at him and the stranger ducked down, leaving one leg stretched out. Not seeing there was still a leg there, Alexander stumbled and fell to the stone ground. A moment later his arm moved, slowly, as he tried to push himself up but all he could manage was to turn himself over.

The knife had imbedded itself deep in his belly, his blood turning his white clothing to a dark red. He arched his neck toward the lady he had just so recently been dancing with, once last time.

Lady Botanica watched as his eyes focused on her for just a moment and then closed. His body was limp and the puddle of blood was growing. _I may have hated him, but I didn't want something like this._

The entire crowd stood stunned for a moment until some friends of the deceased came to huddle around him and take care of his body. The sobbing of many of the ladies could be heard. The stranger, using this distraction as an advantage, seemed to disappear out of sight.

The rest of the ball was cancelled, and Lord Aaron had Alexander's funeral arranged. Xavier and Sierra were very happy to get away from all those people, and shortly after the stranger disappeared, Lady Botanica was nowhere to be found. Lord Aaron began a search for her. Xavier didn't think much of her disappearance, since he would have voluntarily disappeared if he had the chance also, but Lord Aaron insisted that the stranger had taken her. Xavier, and Sierra as well, both knew there really wasn't anything they could do to help the situation except to try and keep out of the way, so they decided to return to Xavier's room to decided on their next course of action.

"Do you prefer to work out the stipulations of the treaty between the two of us, or would you prefer that I speak to the King and Queen?" Xavier asked as he sipped a cup of tea. He looked tired, he felt tired, and he was tired. But, he had some things to work out before the day was through; he hoped he could make it quick.

"They wished me to bring you to Atlantis so that they could work things out with you themselves." Sierra said in a tired voice.

"Do you have any preference for when to leave here?" Xavier asked, taking another sip.

"As soon as possible. I don't want to be here when they find that mystery man" Sierra shifted his robes, and the silver bells hanging from his belt chimed lightly.

"I agree. This place could get pretty ugly; I really don't want to be involved." Xavier sighed and rested his head on his hand. "We'll depart from the spaceport at eleven'O'clock AM. Does that suit you?"

"Very well. I take it that you don't mind if I ride with you?" Sierra said, a little timidly since he hadn't officially been invited but the prince's previous comment implied such.

"Of course. It would be an honor. Besides, I won't get lonely that way." Xavier gave him a courteous smile.

A moment later, they both sighed in unison. Xavier blushed slightly as he looked up at Sierra. Sierra looked down at his teacup he had barely touched. "Are you as tired as I am?" Xavier asked.

"At least as much, sir." He said a little breathless.

Xavier nodded. "Then lets both catch some sleep. We'll be gone by noon, and the time will pass quicker if we aren't conscious."

"I'm thinking the same thing." Sierra said, and they both stood. Xavier escorted his guest to the door, and opened it.

"Sleep well." Xavier said.

"You too. Goodnight." Said the Atlantean. He walked down the corridor, his bells covering the soft sound of his footsteps.

Xavier willed his transformation to fade and returned to his normal appearance. The crescent moon on his head disappeared and he wore his normal clothes. He changed into a pair of dark green satin pajamas, crawled into the soft bed and pulled the covers over him. His body sank comfortably into the feather mattress and he hugged a pillow close to him. Before his mind could start remembering the stranger events of the day, he was unconscious and happy that he would be so until later in the morning.

Sierra and Xavier both joined Lord Aaron for a late breakfast that morning and informed him that they had planned to head off toward Neptune, faking a rush for political reasons. Lord Aaron asked that Xavier to send an alert to Queen Serenity about the disappearance of his daughter and he agreed to do so. Breakfast, like dinner before, was mostly quiet and nervous. Xavier felt a bit of pity for Lord Aaron, and was worried about Lady Botanica. However, he was sure that with the Queen's help, no one would be able to keep her hidden for long.

Reynald escorted the pair to the spaceport then headed back to assist Lord Aaron with the search for his daughter. The spaceport was completely different than the rest of the country which seemed many hundred years less advanced than they actually were. The entire place was shiny steel with strange geometric architecture. The only color in the whole place was that which was reflected on the walls by the people's clothes and personal things they carried with them. All the workers wore a grayish blue colored simple uniform. A long jacket with their last name embroidered on the right breast, with matching pants and black shoes. The ladies wore their hair up in caps, and the men all had short hair.

The place wasn't too horribly busy, but enough to watch where you were going. It was a bit of a walk to his shuttle, but the pair could eventually see it through the glass windows. It was made of a light blue, opaque crystal. It was small and aerodynamic, with sharp wings jutting out from the sides. It was long and smooth, with a thin layer of clear quartz to cover the cockpit.

"Xavier," Sierra said suddenly, with a sight tap on the prince's shoulder. "Look over there." He turned to see a pair heading down the hallway in the opposite direction they were walking. One was a man. He was tall, well built. He had long black hair with bright red streaks in it, and was wearing a commoners garb. The other was a lady. Despite the commoners garb she was wearing and the fact that the hood on her cloak was up, Lady Botanica was quite obvious to him. She had her arm wrapped around that of the young man, who seemed to be a bit nervous and protective of her.

Xavier pulled Sierra to the other side of the hallway and made sure that Sierra was between both himself and the Lady's line of sight. If they continued on their current course, they should walk right past them.

Sure enough they did just that and keeping one eye on them from behind Sierra, Xavier timed it so that he stepped out right in front of them. "Lady Botanica," he said in a soft yet firm voice, "Your father has been very worried about you."

"Xavier!" She exclaimed, startled. They had almost run over the boy in front of them and still hadn't noticed Sierra standing not far away at all.

"Will you both please come with me, I'm afraid you," he looked to the handsome boy with black and red hair, "are a suspect in a kidnapping." The boy's face turned to a scowl and he was about to say something when Botanica interrupted him.

"It's not what you think!" the lady said, a bit frantic. "Please, at least let us explain before you insist on taking us to my father.

Xavier, intrigued, considered it for a moment. "Fair enough."

He scanned the area to see if there was anywhere that wasn't too horribly busy. There was a set of benches near a port that wasn't being used that had fewer people. It would have to do. "Please, come this way." He chose a spot with a seat for each of them, next to the huge glass windows that showed the inside of a hanger. "Now, will you please explain. I will trust your words. I expect to be told the truth."

Lady Botanica nodded, then looked at the man. He smiled encouragingly and she took a deep breath. "My father was holding that contest in order to choose a husband for me. He chose specifically that contest because he knew that Lord Alexander was the best sword fighter in the land. Or so he thought. This is Flint, my fiancé by choice. Since he's a commoner, my father would never allow me to marry him. Flint didn't know about the contest until it was over, else he would have secretly entered and won me that way. But, because Alexander won, my father betrothed me to him. Since he had missed the contest, he decided to challenge Alexander to a match for me in the presence of my father as a way of notifying the duel. He planned not to hurt Alexander, but, well, you saw what happened." Xavier nodded on that note. "I left the castle with him, we plan to go far away and make a life for ourselves. I'm in love with him and I will not stand to be married to anyone else. He's not a bad person; the only reason my father dislikes him is because he's so worried about class and being proper and such. I won't let him live my life for me." She sighed and looked down at her fiancé's hand, which had intertwined with hers and was settled on her lap. Xavier considered the situation for a long moment; Sierra watched Xavier, waiting to see what result would come of this.

"Lady Botanica. Let me explain something to you and please, keep in mind that I must follow and understand this as well too in order to live the life that I live. With being born to privilege comes specific obligation. A noble exists to serve their title; their life belongs to the country which they are meant to serve. I realize that the way I am likely to end up serving my kingdom to the best of my ability is to be part of some political marriage where I will not meet my bride until my wedding day, and I must accept that because that is how the Queen and my mother see me best fit to serve my country." Xavier paused for a moment to take in a breath. Botanica had tilted her face downward, allowing her curly bangs to fall over her eyes. He watched as one tear landed on the hand of her beloved. "However, I also understand that not all people are able to accept such restraint. Love is one of the most difficult complications to deal with for you can not choose who you love. One's heart follows who it follows and not much can be done about it."

Botanica wiped one eye with the sleeve of her dress, and Flint placed a protective arm around her, pulling her close. Xavier, who usually remains undisturbed by such stories, felt a deep sympathy for the two. He knew that what he was about to say my very well put him in a lot of trouble later, but it may be better than just leaving the pair alone. Perhaps he could convince Botanica to reconcile with her father sometime in the future when these wounds weren't quite so fresh. "If you two planned on leaving this planet, we are traveling to Atlantis on Neptune, then back to the Moon. I have room on my ship, if you would like a ride."

Botanica looked up at the prince, a ray of hope shining in her eyes. "You would do that? Take both of us?" She looked as if she wasn't entirely sure what she had just heard.

"I would, that is, as long as you do not have anyone else suspecting you are who you are. I could get into a lot of trouble for this."

"We don't. I made sure of that myself." Flint said. He had a strong, pleasant baritone voice.

"Then, let's get going. The longer we stay here, the more people have a chance of recognizing you." He said to the pair and stood. "I am very glad to hear that all of this trouble wasn't quite what it seemed. Please, I would hate to start this relationship on the wrong foot. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Xavier of the kingdom of the Moon. This," He motioned to Sierra, "Is Sierra, an ambassador from Atlantis. I am happy to make your acquaintance." He smiled at the taller boy, who held out a hand. Xavier took it and shook, as did Sierra in turn.

"I'm Flint. There really isn't much else to say as far as in introduction." He smiled and shrugged in an easygoing manner.

"Shall we get going?" Xavier asked politely. Flint nodded, and Botanica took his hand. Xavier looked at Sierra and pointed toward the shuttle and started walking. Xavier had no problem getting the couple though security once they found out who he was. The shuttle was a little cramped, but nothing too horrible. Xavier took the pilots seat and placed the shuttle's circlet upon his head. He placed his right palm over the control sphere and soon the small vessel was humming to life. He checked his fuel gauge, which showed the fuel tanks at full, and turned on the radio transmitter. "This is the Orion shuttle, requesting departure."

A voice came over the radio a few moments later. "Your Majesty, you my depart now if you wish on the southeast runway."

"Thank you very much. It's been a wonderful visit."

The shuttle took off with a burst of speed, and arced out of the atmosphere. Not long after circling in orbit, the Orion was in sight. Like the shuttle, it was made of a light blue crystal. It was long, shaped much like a shard of whatever type of crystal it was made of with the exception of the engines at the back. The hyperspace engines were at the rear, spokes of crystal extruded in every direction, glowing a light purple. The blue color of the rest of the ship became more and more pale toward the nose until it was almost completely white.

The shuttle approached a small dot of bright white light near the end of the ship. As the shuttle got closer, the light faded until it was lit like a normal room. The hanger, and everything else for that matter, was made of that same opaque crystal. The clamps closed around the shuttle, causing it to jerk a bit. The hanger pressurized and Xavier opened the hatch. Upon closer inspection, there was no obvious machinery that powered anything, just this same crystal of every size and shape that was needed to serve the purpose it served. Xavier walked toward the main exit, his heels clicking on the floor. The sound reverberated throughout the large room so that one almost couldn't tell where it came from.

"Welcome to my mother's ship, the Orion. I'll show you to the main control room. Follow me please." The halls were long and wide. The doorways were marked only with a control pad next to them; the seams were barely visible. The light source wasn't obvious, in fact, the light didn't seem to come from anywhere at all. Like a lit room at night, when the light is soft and behind you, but if you looked the source isn't there and the light is just as bright behind you as it was in front of you. A low hum could be heard constantly, and the almost inaudible sound of chimes that oddly matched Xavier's pace. After walking a while through numerous hallways that all looked the same, they came to a pair of obvious double doors. They turned transparent and faded away. Xavier looked back to his company, and offered to allow them to precede him.

They walked into the large half-circled room. There was one chair near the rear of the room not far in front of them. There was a panel in front of it, with a circlet that had been set on it. It was silver, with strange cords attached to it that were strung to the console before the large chair. There were many control spheres of several colors, all colors of gemstones. Xavier put a hand on one arm of the chair, and with the slightest bit of effort on his part, it turned without a sound. He hopped up into it and placed the circlet on his head. He tapped a control sphere and a sheet of crystal formed in the front of the room. It was the size of a standard theater screen and displayed a map of the solar system. After a few more taps, a course was drawn on the map leading them to Neptune. There was a small, light blue, blinking light that showed the location of Orion. Xavier paused for just a moment before Tapping the crystal one last time. The slight humming sound picked up just a bit, and a counter appeared on the screen: 'Time remaining until destination: fifty-seven days, seventeen hours, twenty-one minutes, and four seconds.' and it was descending.

Xavier placed the circlet back on the console and hopped off the chair. "We are now officially on our way." He said, and a friendly smile stretched across his face.


End file.
